#para004

He was startled awake by a pillow to the face and the sound of a voice that was very much not his father’s.

“I’m hungry and we’re out of eggs.”

Groggily, Sam opened his eyes to find a familiar dark pair peering down at him and he groaned. It was way too early for his sister, in time of the morning and otherwise. Last they’d spoken she was still at school, caught up in the rapidly approaching end of another grad school semester and wasn’t due for a visit until Thanksgiving time, but there she was, hovering over him, looking ready to snatch another pillow from the bed to pelt him with.

“Shouldn’t you be in school?” he asked around a large yawn. It didn’t stop him from getting up, though not without some drama, groaning even louder and pushing a hand through haphazard blond locks as he sat on the edge of the bed, feeling cold but fully awake.

Stacy looked far too chipper for the hour, greeting him with a cheery smile and a cheek pinch that he waved off with a grumble, growing louder at the sound of her laughter.

“I have a light week; mostly papers due and figured it was as good a time as any for a trip home. Check on things…and you.” She glanced down at Sam, brown eyes searching for a moment before asking “Were you going to tell me what really happened with the kitchen, or…?”

Their last phone call, he’d only glossed over the details surrounding the fire, not wanting her to worry about things, with her plate already filled with school. He merely reassured her the damage wasn’t extensive and he was working out a deal with Puck for repairs, but Sam was certain seeing it in person was kind of jarring.

With a sigh, he scrambled to his feet and eased past his little sister’s questioning look. “Come on. We’ll go to the Double C for breakfast.”

Several minutes and a hot shower later, Sam was feeling energetic, and grateful to see his sister. Stacy, with her dry humor and sharp tongue, always quick with a joke was a sight for sore eyes, a welcome reprieve from the chaotic energy of the past few weeks, and the pair fell in-step with each other as if no time had passed between when they were last together.

They walked to the diner, moving briskly down the sidewalk, making the trek in the chilly Maine morning, one they made so many times before. When they’d grown tired of mornings filled with cold cereal and colder sadness of the house, they would make their way to the cozy atmosphere that the diner offered, a home away from home and a break away from their own. The picture they made, comforting in its familiarity. The Evans kids, the quiet blond and the chatty one with the auburn curls.  

Luckily, their favorite booth was empty, and Sam slid in on one side, bouncing against the plastic vinyl that covered the seat and tugging the beanie from his head, fingers raking through his hair. There was no need to reach for the menu, he knew the damn thing by heart.

“Ugh, they still have the pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon butter” Stacy remarked fondly, clutching the plastic menu to her chest in a way that made Sam snort with laughter.

“Don’t lie, that’s the only reason you’re back.”

Slim shoulders raised in a shrug and she didn’t even bother to hide her grin. “More or less. But I guess I’m happy to see you, too.”

The waitress stopped by with coffee and to take their orders and Sam frowned only slightly when he realized Tina wasn’t there, but reasoned it was still pretty early and she most likely had a later shift. He hadn’t seen her since Halloween, and with all the weirdness he’d wanted to check on her. On all of them, really. Everyone had been quiet, no doubt trying to bounce back from the admittedly cruel trick that still made Sam incredibly uneasy…and annoyed.

He hadn’t realized he’d zoned out in his thoughts until he felt the sugar packet smack the side of his face, and he turned to find Stacy with yet another questioning look.

“What’s going on with you?”

It was his turn to shrug and he busied himself with adding cream and sugar to his coffee, distracted by the soft clink of the spoon knocking gently against the porcelain cup as he stirred. “Been a really weird week.”

“It’s only Monday.”

Sam fixed her with a blank look. “You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t. Did something happen? Is it Dad?” The worry in her tone made his stomach tighten with uneasiness and briefly Sam wondered if that’s what really brought Stacy from her life at college and back into sinking, quiet, cold.

James had, for the most part, been fine…as much as Sam could tell. If he wasn’t at the bar, he was in his room and Sam had barely seen him. But nothing more had been set aflame and there were no new whispers of his father’s drunken exploits around town, so Sam assumed he was going through one of his sober-ish spells.

These were also familiar, and somehow more grating than when he was on a full-blown bender or completely dry. It was as if he would retreat even further, and without the crutch of alcohol he just seemed to simply perform life like a robot would, a shell of a functioning person. Aware, but willfully obtuse. There but not there.

It brought out a frustrated kind of fury in Sam, it always had. Remembering the times that Stacy, so happy to see him out and about and not under some whiskey cloud, would talk excitedly, trying to engage him in conversations about her day, rambling in her sweet way only to be met with an errant nod or stray mumble while James washed dishes or watched tv, leaving a look of hurt on his youngest child’s face and anger in his eldest.

And Sam wasn’t sure if talking with Hunter about the other’s own struggles with drinking was helping, though perhaps it was a little easier to understand his friend than his own father, where the well of sympathy and understanding had long gone dry, replaced by a resigned sort of resentment and rage that festered quietly within him. 

With a slow exhale, Sam lifted the cup and took a small sip of the coffee, immediately soothed by the heat and the smooth blend of the roast and shook his head. “It’s not. He’s in one of his moods, but that’s nothing new. Just a lot of stuff’s been happening around town.”

“Rachel’s still missing, isn’t she? I went to the pharmacy to pick up Dad’s prescription and Ms. Sullivan gave me the rundown. They had somebody in custody, and they let him go?”

It didn’t surprise him that Stacy kept up with the news in Castleport, nor that her first stop had been for their father, confirming that this was one of her ‘bad feelings’ trips. Or that Ms. Sullivan would be in the know.

“Yeah. The guy was a stalker. Real creep shit. I don’t know what’s going on, but I think he might’ve hurt her. The homecoming stuff was never solved, but the cops thought it was Hunter and Sugar, it was really messed up. The whole town’s been buzzing with all this bullshit. And then I get this invite to a Halloween party at Castle House that turns into a scavenger hunt and somehow ends up with my old classmates finding out all this fucked up shit about each other. So now they all know about Sloane.”

Stacy arched a brow, surprise etched in pretty features, though whatever she’d been about to say was paused once the waitress returned with their plates. Sam’s crisis was put on hold long enough for her to savor the pumpkin pancakes though he’d barely made a dent in his hash browns when she was back with choice words.

“Huh. Seems like I’ve really missed a lot.”

“That’s a good thing,” Sam replied. “You’ve got school. One of us has got to be the respectable Evans, and it’s clearly not gonna be the delinquent divorcé.”

The pair grinned at that and she tossed another sugar packet at him for good measure. The quiet, save for the plink of utensils scraping plates and the music playing softly throughout the diner was nice, and Sam savored the moments of peace with his sister, though he barely bit back a groan at her next question.

“So how’d Mercedes take it?”

He didn’t want to think about that, but Stacy was giving him that expectant eyebrow arch again and he knew she would keep asking until she got her answer. “She’s pissed. Can’t say I get why, though.”

Stacy rolled her eyes, completely unconvinced. “Okay, Samuel.”

“Alright, Anastasia.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You’re such a pain in the ass. Does your other girlfriend know about your ex-wife too? I’m sure Sugar’s got a lot to say about that.”

The ‘girlfriend’ of it all made him wince and Sam fixed her with another sharp glare. “You know what, how about we focus on you for a little bit. What about that IT nerd you were talking to?”

“Why when yours is way more fun,” Stacy dismissed with a wave of her hand and a bite of pancake. “Besides, Teddy just fixed my laptop when it crapped out on me. I’ve been talking to someone else who’s really cool but I won’t say much more about her because I don’t want to jinx it. Ask me more at Thanksgiving.”

It was nice, seeing his sister excited about more than just textbooks and her psychology journals so he simply offered her a smile and nodded. “Sure. But switch the subject, nosy.”

“Fine. We can talk about Thanksgiving. I think we should have it here, with Dad. I like staying with you in Boston too, but you’re here a lot now, maybe more if you really do open the shop. And I’m tired of alternating my time between you and him. So we should all spend it together.”

It seemed like the simplest of requests, an obvious one at that, and yet he was still caught off guard. And the knee-jerk reaction was to shut it all down, but he realized just how stubborn and unfair that would be to Stacy, who tried so hard to play the peacemaker role that Sam had long abandoned.

But she made the case for it, he was home more and even with all the weirdness happening in the small town, and the recent bomb drop of his ex-wife, it hadn’t deterred his plans to make his tattoo shop a reality. More than ever, the idea of carving out his own space in Castleport appealed to him. To make new, better memories in place of the ones that hampered him regularly.

“I’ll think about it, okay? I’ve still gotta get back to work and take care of shit in Boston, though.”

That seemed to appease his sister and she offered him a bright grin. “Good. I’ll be here for a few days so you’ll have plenty of time to think it over. In the meantime, we need to hit up Blue Brick after this. I’m craving a good donut.”

Sam shook his head, his laughter incredulous as he pointed to her completely empty plate. “You just took down a short stack of pancakes and now you want donuts?”

Scott had had such an amazing day in Kalissa's company and was so happy about having had the courage to ask her out. They had had a great day at the theme park in Cotton Plant, sharing snacks, going on rides and holding hands. They had talked and laughed and shared different things, which they probably would still have shared even if it hadn't been a date - but now it was, and it was different. Scott was taking her out to a nice restaurant where they could have dinner, maybe share a dessert and laugh even more. The day had been something that the young man had needed for a while, so he was thankful that Kalissa had wanted to go on the date with him. After having dropped her off at home in the afternoon, after their day at the park, Scott had gone back to his own place to shower and get ready for the night. He had decided on a plain white button-up shirt tucked into a pair of black pants, and one of the best colognes he owned. He wasn't much for dressing up, but when he did, he wanted it to be done in style. He had picked up Kalissa after a couple of hours where the both of them had time to get ready. Scott had decided on a nice little Italian restaurant just outside of town, which was very intimate and quiet - somewhere where they could be a bit alone and talk. Looking up at her after having been served the white wine, Scott smiled softly at Kalissa in front of him, locking his eyes with hers. "Have I told you that you look absolutely gorgeous tonight?" He said, picking up his glass and taking a sip of it. "I mean, you have all day, but oh my- when I saw you earlier, I almost forgot how to breathe."

Kali's cheeks hurt slightly from smiling all day. She had enjoyed her day thus far. The amusement park had been filled with laughter, rides, snacks and even some hand holding. This date was quickly turning into one of the best dates she had ever gone on. Although even if it hadn't been a date, Kali knew she would have a good time solely over the fact that she was doing it with Scott. After a full day of fun, Scott had dropped her off at home so she could get ready for the second part of their date. She had already showered before the day had started that morning so Kali decided to take advantage of the time she had. She drew a bath and decided to put on a face mask, hoping it would give her skin an extra glow. After her bath she took her time getting her hair and makeup just right. Kali always opted out for a more natural look and decided to let her long blonde locks into loose curls. Picking a nice dress, Kali checked herself in the mirror once more knowing Scott would be there to pick her up soon. After being picked up once more, the two were sitting across a nice candlelit table. Kali thanked the waiter as he poured her drink but then glanced across at Scott. Her gaze shyly drew down to her lap as she heard his statement. As always a small blush grew on her cheeks. "You haven't but thank you." She laughed lightly. "Well I'm glad you remembered how to breathe. It'd be something having to take you to hospital for not gettin oxygen to your brain." The blonde chuckled softly before brining her own glass to her lips. "You look quite handsome yourself though. You clean up nicely, Scottie." Her lips pursed into a flirty smile as she cast him a small wink. "I had a really fun time earlier. I haven't had that much fun in a little while so it was nice that I got to do it with you."

Scott grinned as he watched Kali's reaction. He absolutely loved the fact that he could make her blush; just the fact that he even had an effect on her was something that he really cherished. He liked being able to make her laugh and smile and blush, in the best way possible. He let out a soft laugh as he heard her comment, imagining the whole scenario; how Kali would have to take him to the hospital and them eating jello as their "fancy" dinner. "Well, it would've made you remember me though," He said slyly, his lips curling up into a smirk. He was sincerely hoping that she was having just as good a time, as he was because this meant a lot to him. Even if they remained friends, he would look back at this time with Kalissa, as one of the best times of his life. Looking down at himself for a second after hearing her compliment, he gave a slight nod. "Thank you very much, I like to think that this is quite ordinary and I'm a bit like James Bond in that sense, but let's be honest, that's not the case," Scott grinned, licking his lips and tasting the wine on them. He liked how he could just joke around with Kali and be normal. Usually, dates tended to go in an awkward direction and Scott hated it; but knowing Kalissa as well as he did, he also felt comfortable around her and knew that he could say just anything to her. "I know, I've had a great time today. I'm really glad that you said yes to going out with me, you know?" Scott started, giving her a genuine smile. "I never thought that Motta Adventure Land would be that great, but it turned out to be really fun. But to be honest, I think that's your doing."

Kali: quirked her eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure anything would get me to remember you, Scott. I wouldn't need a trip to the hospital to do that. Although it would be an interesting story to tell." Kali took another drink of her wine before setting it back down on the table. She laughed along with him. "No but seriously, you look really nice. I like seeing this side of you." She didn't get to see him dressed very often. It's not like they had gone on a date together before. But the way this one was going, hopefully it wouldn't be their last. "Oh I don't know about that. I'm pretty sure it was the candyfloss. Not me." The conversation was lighthearted and easy. But then again when wasn't it with them? Kali wondered if Scott still viewed this as if they were just hanging out as friends. Sure it was a little different with how they had held hands earlier and the closeness they shared. But was that enough to make it different than just being friends? These thoughts made her slightly worried but she tried to push them aside. Suddenly the waiter was ready to take their order. Kali glanced up at the waiter and flashed a charming smile. "I'll have the pesto farfelle with chicken and a side salad please." Kali turned to Scott letting him put in his order as well.

Scott wasn't the type of guy to go on dates with different girls. If he had liked a girl, then yeah, he would've asked her out. But with the many different girlfriends, he had had in his past, Scott hadn't been the type of guy to just date around and be casual about things. He liked the idea of finding a girl and being with her for as long as possible. Unfortunately for him, though, things seemed to not go well, and it felt like he screwed up every relationship he had been in. So now, he was trying everything not to do that. "Let's be honest though, with the number of adventures that you and I go on, we've got plenty of stories to tell," Scott chuckled, leaning forward and fiddling a bit with the tablecloth. He couldn't help but shrug his shoulders and look down at the fabric that he was fiddling with, as she gave him another compliment. His cheeks were burning and he knew that he was going red, but he was really trying to hide it. "I'm not sure if it's really my style, to be honest," Scott was the type of guy to walk around in t-shirts and jeans, or maybe just a plaid shirt or a sweater if it was chilly. But he rarely put on an ironed white dress-shirt and a nice pair of pants. He usually saved those outfits for funerals or things like that; mostly due to the practical side of his job and needing to get dressed relatively fast if his alarm went off. "Trust me, it was a combination of both," He said, looking back up at Kalissa and giving her a look that told her that he was being genuine. He had absolutely loved spending time with the girl. When she ordered her food, Scott looked up at the waiter and smiled. "That sounds really good, I'll have the same, please," He told him and handed over the menu-card. "So what was your favorite part of today?"

Kali: nodded in agreement. "You're right. We do go on a lot of adventures together. You know what..." Kali lifted her glass to him and grinned. "To many many more adventures. You and me, Scottie." She grinned and clinked her glass to his before taking another long sip of her wine. "It may not be your everyday style but it does suit you. Even if it's only every now and then." She noticed the blush grow on Scott's cheeks. This caused her to get slightly giddy. She liked that she had an affect on him. After he ordered, Kali listened to his question. "Can I say all of it? Because I honestly have had the best time all day today. But I guess if I had to pick something... I really like my new stuffed animal. Thank you again for winning him for me." Kali reached out and gently grasped his hand from across the table. She gave it a gentle squeeze as her smile softened. She liked the feel of her hand in his. Since the moment he had held her's at the amusement park, all she had wanted was to feel his hand in her's again.

Scott lifted his glass up to meet hers as they toasted for more adventures. "You and me," He repeated and took a sip, trying not to go too hard on the stuff, as he knew that he had to drive them home again. He was looking forward to many more adventures that the two could go on, knowing that it would be epic no matter what would happen. Even something as simple as going food shopping was an adventure with the two. One of them would crawl into the cart and the other would race it down the aisle. It was simple things like that, which the two had always done, and Scott was determined not to screw it over. "Yeah, I suppose," Scott shrugged again, not really knowing how to deal with the compliment. Sure, he had shaved and put on nice clothes, and it was probably nice for a change to see, for someone like Kalissa. And yeah, he felt good about it, but he just wasn't sure where to place himself when it came to compliments that he wasn't used to. "That was no problem at all, really," Scott smiled, feeling Kalissa's small, soft hand grabbing his calloused one. It made another blush appear on his cheeks, and this time he really couldn't hide it, being fixated on Kalissa's smile. "I think my favorite part was when you almost sat on my lap, during that haunted house ride," Scott teased, giving the girl a smirk, as his fingers kinda started playing with hers unconsciously, across the table.

Kali's lips curved into a smile. 'You and me' She liked the sound of that. It sounded... right. Well to her at least. Every since they were younger, they had always found ways to make the simplest things fun. She knew that wasn't going to change any time. Not if she had a say. No matter what happened, she was determined to make sure that aspect of their relationship never changed. He was too big of person in her life to lose. She glanced down at their hands, feeling him stroke her fingers on the top of her hand. Rolling her eyes, Kali laughed at his previous statement. "Of course that would be your favorite moment. Too bad I didn't actually fall onto your lap huh?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him with a teasing giggle. This was nice. The atmosphere was right and easy. That was one word that always came to mind when it came to Scott. Easy. Everything was always easy when they were together. She hoped it was because they got each other and the also trusted and respected each other. When first dating someone, that was the thing she always struggled with. Knowing if she could trust them. But she knew Scott would never do anything to intentionally hurt her. She knew he could trust him with just about anything. Kali let her own thumb gently rub on his hand. "I know you've thanked me for saying yes to you asking me out, but I just wanted to say thank you to you for at least giving it a chance. I know it's weird, since we've been best friends for so long. But Scottie... " Kali looked down at her lap nervous to continue her statement. "... I really would like to keep seeing how this goes. I'm not saying we need to jump right into it, but I think maybe we could make it work?" Kali was very nervous all of a sudden. Usually she was calm, confident and collected, but Kali was being vulnerable and putting her feelings out there. It wasn't something she did often, so to her it was a scary thing.

Scott chuckled as he remembered how she has flung herself at him as a head had popped out, on the haunted house ride. It had been one of the greatest days in Scott's life, that was for sure. He had gotten to spend time with his best friend in the most relaxed way possible, but also in one of the most intimate way. He had really enjoyed getting to hold her hand that day, and the fact that it was happening again now was only improving everything. He felt her fingers move over his hand and it made goosebumps appear on his arms, not being used to the delicate feeling. Listening intently to her, Scott knew that this wasn't easy for Kalissa. The two friends knew that they could talk about serious things with each other, and they had been so close to each other throughout the many years that they had shared so many secrets and feelings with each other. But this time was different. She was putting her heart on her sleeve, showing her true feelings for another person and it was intimidating, Scott knew. He knew this because he had been there - maybe not in the same situation, but certainly feeling the same feelings - when he had asked her out. Nodding slowly, Scott smiled gently at her. "I think so too," He told her, knowing that it was a vague answer. He wanted to explain to her that he was scared of ruining things and not be good enough. In his eyes, Kalissa only deserved the best and Scott definitely wasn't the best. "I want to make this work," He started, licking his lips and wrapping his fingers around hers, giving them a soft squeeze. "Just...be aware of my many faults, please. You know how I've screwed up before; I don't know if I've learnt my lessons yet." He was really hoping that she understood him and that he didn't make it too complicated for her.

Kali's heart was beating a million miles an hour as she waited to hear his response. She felt his fingers grip her hand even tighter before he began speaking. She noticed a smile on his face, and she started to calm down. What was it about him smiling at her that made her feel better? It always seemed to work it's magic on her. She locked eyes with him and smiled as he mentioned wanting it to work as well. That caused her smile to grow a little bit more. She nodded as he explained about his faults. With a soft sigh she gave his hand another squeeze. "Everyone one has faults but that's what makes us human beings. No one is perfect. And I'm not going to hold that against you. I like you for who you are, faults and all. But I do want to say this one thing..." She paused for a moment so she could collect her thoughts. "... if we really want this to work then I need you to be open with me okay?" She leaned in to look him straight in the eye so he could see the sincerity in her's. "Don't push me out if something is wrong. I want to help or at least listen. Or do something. We need to communicate with each other. I know you have your days when you want nothing with the world... but please don't push me away? And I'm not saying this as whatever this is.. but as your best friend as well. I care about you so much, Scottie..." She looked down at her lap for a second before looking back at him.

Scott listened to Kalissa as she spoke to him, begging him to talk to her and be open. Scott had always just generally had a problem with opening up to people. Certain people, he had been fine with, because he had felt that it was okay for him to do so, without it being a burden. But it was a rare case and it was something that Scott didn't do often. Not because he didn't want to, but more because he felt like it would bother other people. It was something that he had grown up to believe, with the feeling of his parents neglecting him throughout his childhood. Scott had grown up not wanting to speak about problems or anything, because he felt like it would bother his parents, when they had more things to worry about, such as money and bringing up the many children that they had chosen to have. So Scott didn't speak to many people, only because he felt like it annoyed them. But he could understand where Kalissa was coming from. He knew that it was difficult, for her, to not know how he felt. "I know it's something that I have to work on, and I will," Scott started, leaning back and drawing his hands away from hers. He didn't like the empty feeling, of not holding her hand anymore, but it was just an automatic reaction. There was always something that Scott could do better, and he knew it. "I'll try and be better at it."

Kali's heart sank a little when Scott retreated his hand. She looked down at her lonely hand at the table before pulling it back herself. She licked her lips and nodded. "Okay. I'm happy to hear that." She put on a smile of reassurance. "Just remember, I'm always here no matter what Scott. No matter what it is, hell even if I'm annoying you... I still want you to talk to me." Kalissa wanted him to know that before anything else she was there as his best friend. As someone he could confinde in, someone he felt safe with and trusted. Kali couldn't feel this small feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't 100% sure what this meant for them but she wouldn't push it anymore. Kali brushed some hair away from her face, reaching for her glass of wine... downing the last bit that was in the glass. She let out a sigh. "Sorry, I guess I took things to a deeper level... we're supposed to be enjoying this date and I feel like I ruined it a little...." Her voice was soft and her eyes were low, looking down at her hands in her lap.

Scott didn't mean to put a downer on the mood. He just wasn't very comfortable speaking about these things, mainly because it showed his flaws and insecurities, and Scott having those out in the open. He hated being criticised on something that he already knew about and knew that he had to do something about. He was working on trying to open up more, but it just never came easy to him. "I know you're there for me, and I really appreciate it, don't get me wrong," Scott started out, biting down on his lip and furrowing his eyebrows. "Sometimes I just don't feel the need to talk to someone, and that's just me, you know?" He continued, hoping that she understood. He didn't always have a need to tell everyone about everything that was going on in his life. Sometimes, he just wanted to take a moment for himself and figure things out. Looking back up at her as she started to apologize, Scott quickly leaned forwards, hoping to get her to look at him. "No, don't apologize. This is okay, we're just talking about things. You didn't ruin anything, trust me," He told her, trying to get eye contact with her. "Come on, let's enjoy this night that we've got together. I didn't dress up for nothing," Scott tried to cheer her up, with the comment and a little smirk on his face. All of a sudden, their food came and he smiled, hoping that their little conversation was now in the past and they could move on. "This looks nice, huh?"

Kali: still eyes on her lap as she nodded to what he was saying. She knew that Scott had a hard time talking about things sometimes. She just wanted him to know that if things got rough, he didn't shut her out completely. She didn't expect him to just straight out tell her what was wrong. It was something that he'd have to choose to do, and in the end she'd respect whatever he wanted to do. She still felt as if somehow she had put a slight damper on things but she tried not to think about it. Her attention was quickly drawn to the waiter as he set the food down before them. She smiled politely at him and then finally glanced over at the table to Scott. "Yeah it looks great.... Thank you." She thanked the waiter before taking a bite on her food. She groaned happily while she chewed quietly. "Okay yeah that's really good." She chuckled lightly. "Oh I almost forgot to ask you, Charity and I were thinking about maybe going to a football game or something in Tennessee at the end of the month or sometime. Do you want to come?" She figured changing the subject then would be good and it'd save her from further ruining anything, if she had already. "We discovered we've never been one and thought it'd be fun. I just figured you being a guy might like going too..."

Scott watched as Kali took a bite of her food and smiled softly, happy that they could move on from the topic of Scott not talking about his feelings a lot. He followed Kalissa and took a bite of his food as well, tasting it and finding out exactly what she meant when she complimented it. It was so good. He almost moaned as he chewed the food and then swallowed, nodding to himself in approvement. "You're right, that's amazing," Scott said, rolling his eyes in pure pleasure. Hearing what she said, Scott looked up as he took another bite of his food, not able to stop. His eyebrows shut up and he nodded enthusiastically as he heard her proposal. Swallowing again so he could answer, Scott quickly took his napkin and cleaned his lips. "No, that'd be awesome! I would love to go to one!" He said, giving Kalissa a huge smile. "So have you found a date yet? Who are they playing against?" Scott was excited for this already. He barely got to get out of Arkansas, so this was amazing news to him. "Are you thinking about staying for longer? Maybe like a couple of days?"

Kali: giggled softly at his enthusiasm. She figured he'd be okay with going. It was something to get them out of Cotton Plant plus a football game, there's no way he'd say no. "I haven't picked yet but now that I know you really want to go, I'll look more into it." She took another bite of food enjoying this bite as much as the last. She finished chewing before speaking. "I figured if we go to Nashville, it's a five hour drive, we might as well make it a weekend thing. No use in driving that far and not stay a little while, you know?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Plus I love Nashville so even if everyone else doesn't want to stay, I'd want to. And by everyone else I mean Charity and Hayden. I know you'd probably stay." She sighed softly at the thought of her brother. "Which by the way, did you know they're dating?"

Scott was excited for this now. He loved getting away from everything, whenever he could, which was why he was so looking forward to the California trip as well. But even then, just going to Little Rock got Scott excited. It was the idea of getting away from Cotton Plant that just made him so happy, and to be able to do it with Kalissa was something that just made it that much better. Now he really had something to look forward to! "I'd love to stay the weekend. I've heard there are so many things to see and do in Nashville! And the food is supposed to be amazing as well," Scott said as he took another bite of his. He was so ready for this trip. Hearing that Charity and Hayden were dating now made Scott furrow his eyebrows. This was Kali's twin brother dating her best friend; it must have been a bit...odd to her. "Really? How do you feel about that?"

Kali's smile grew as he continue to express his excitement. It never failed to amuse her whenever Scott got excited about things. She knew it was genuine so it made her feel happy when he was happy. "I've stayed there a couple times and I honestly love it. I've considered living there. It's close enough that I could take the trip back to Cotton Plant on a weekend but I also love that it's a big city. We'll definitely explore as much as we can when we go. Promise." She grinned at him from across the table before sighing again and shrugging her shoulders. "I mean I won't lie... it's a little weird but it's okay. They make each other happy so that's all that matters to me." Her smile faded a little as she thought about Hayden. He had been upset at her and even though she tried to apologize it seemed like nothing helped. She tried not to let it get to her but it hurt having her twin brother be upset or something so small. Kali swallowed thickly shoving the thought aside before eating more of her food. "So... what time is your flight tomorrow? I know you're probably anxious to officially get out of here."

Scott loved hearing about other places, feeling the need to go there before it was too late. Honestly, this was something that Scott had really regretted when he finished high school - he should've gone travelling around the world, rather than jumping straight into the training, to become a firefighter. He had been busy with it ever since, and now it felt like he was running out of time to travel the world, before needing to settle down, marry and have kids. But Scott was determined to go to certain places, even if it only was within the country. "I would totally love to live in a big city at one point, just to try it out, you know?" Scott said, nodding as he took a sip of his wine. "Good, I'm gonna hold you to that promise." He told her, giving her a teasing look, but desperately hoping that she kept her promise. "So when did this even happen? It seems quite out of the blue, if I have to be honest with you," Scott shrugged his shoulders. Charity and Hayden were certainly doing a good job of keeping it as a secret from everyone, whether it was intended or not. Seeing Kali's smile fade, Scott furrowed his eyebrows. He could sense that something was wrong, but he wasn't sure whether or not to ask into it. He didn't want to dig up anything that had gone badly between Kali and her siblings or friends, or anything. "Um...tomorrow morning. Yeah, it's going to be awesome, I really can't wait," Scott said, chuckling slightly to himself as he remembered all the various things that Kali had told him to go and see. "When was the last time that you went?"

Kali: nodded in agreement. "I totally know what you mean. I mean I already had my chance but I wouldn't pass up on another opportunity. I think you should consider it for sure. You're young, you still have so much time to do things you've wanted to." She grinned back. "Do I ever break my promises?" She took a mental note to look up extra things to do in Nashville so that they could have a really great trip. "It's been a couple weeks now. Right before the lakehouse trip. SO I'm guessing they had been talking before hand. But I agree it did seem out of the blue." Kali was happy for them. Even if it was weird, at least they could be happy together. "When was the last time I went to Cali? Well I was actually back out there this summer. I almost moved back." Kali thought back about the past summer. It had been a great summer but it had ruined some ties back home in Cotton Plant. SOme that she regretted ruining, but that was a different story for a different day. "I still want to make a trip back out there soon though. I miss it so much. Even though you're going to a completely different area, I hope you see why California is such a great state. But then again any state seems better than Arkansas right?" She cocked her eyebrow at him playfully and laughed. Kali finished up the last bit of her food before taking a sip of her refilled wine glass.

Scott finished his plate, feeling happy and full from the food. He took a last sip of his wine, before turning to the water, making sure that he could drive the two back home afterwards. Shrugging his shoulders when Kali told him that he should give it a try to move to a big city, Scott wasn't quite sure if he even could. "It's difficult to find a station that needs a new lieutenant though," He told her. Scott had worked his way up in Cotton Plant, and while there were things to do in the little town, he knew that it would be a whole lot different in a big city, and that he would most likely have to start over with his training, if he did choose to move somewhere else. "Wow, they've kept it from everyone for quite a while then," Scott said, his one eyebrow cocking up slightly. It was weird to think about the two of them together, but like Kali said, if they were happy, then there was nothing to do about it. "You thought about moving back? Why did you never tell me this?" Scott asked, confused about everything. He thought that she was happy about staying in Cotton Plant, but supposedly not. Letting out a chuckle, he nodded, agreeing with her. "Definitely. I'm so excited to get out of this state, to be fair." Sighing lightly to himself, he honestly wished he had the guts to just drive off and see other places, but that wasn't what Scott did. The waiter came and took their plates as they were done eating, and Scott locked his eyes with Kali. "Dessert here, or at my place?" He asked her, a soft smile appearing on his face.

Kali: thought for a moment. "You never know. Looking never hurt. You might find something. You won't know know unless you try." She honestly believed that if things were meant to be, opportunity would present itself but sometimes you had to go looking for it. Kali nodded softly. "I think they're okay with people knowing now because I know Charity has presented it to people but yeah, they were pretty quiet about it. I'm assuming Hay is out with it too because he changed his info on his blog." Only Kali would notice little things like that. But when it came to people she cared about, she noticed the little things. She paid extra attention so she knew when something was different. "Yeah I did. I don't know... I didn't think it would matter. I was having withdrawls so I went back for the summer. But as much as I missed California, I missed my family, along with you and Charity. So I'm okay in Cotton Plant... for now. But knowing me I'll be itching for a change. I can't seem stay in one place for too long it seems." Kali was excited for Scott. She knew he deserved this trip so she really hoped it turned out as perfect as he imagined. "it'll be great, you'll see." Kali decided to look over the desserts menu that was on the table and set it back down. "It's a little pricey here so let's just go back to your place." She returned the smile with her own. As soon as he was done paying, they were back in his car on their way back to Scott's place. "Thank you for dinner. It was really good. I had never gone there before. I"ll have to check it out again sometime."

Scott had been considering moving away to a bigger city, but had never had the courage or the motivation to do anything about it. He was near his family and friends in Cotton Plant, and somehow that didn't really seem to change. Maybe in the future, he would be more motivated to move away, but right now, too many things were going on for him to do something about it. "Yeah, I might have a look, at one point soon. We'll see what happens," Scott said, shrugging his shoulders. "Ahhh, fair enough," He said, nodding. Scott and Hayden didn't talk a lot; not the way that him and Kalissa did. If he had to hear it from anyone, it would either be from her or Charity, so it made sense for Kalissa to tell him, since it was quite big news. Smiling softly, Scott leaned back into his seat. "You're a city girl now, huh?" Scott teased, smirking slightly at the girl in front of her. Hearing her proposal, Scott nodded and agreed. Besides, dessert at his place meant that he would get her alone, which was something he was looking forward to. Paying for their meal, Scott got up and helped Kalissa out of her seat. He opened the car door for her and let her in before they drove back to his place. He peeked over at her in the passenger seat, smiling softly. "That's okay. I really enjoyed myself tonight, you know?" Parking in his drive-way, Scott opened the car door for her again, before leading her up to his front door and locking the both of them in. He turned the lights on and walked towards the kitchen. "So what are you in the mood for? Ice cream, chocolate cake..." Scott was looking through his fridge, trying to find something, but not really succeeding. He closed the fridge door again and turned to Kalissa. "I think that's it, to be fair."

Kali: laughed lightly. "I guess I am. I don't know. I just like that bigger cities offer more opportunities, you know? I like to go out and actually do things. I feel like I'm limited on what I can do here in Cotton Plant." This was very true. Ever since she had gotten back to Cotton Plant she had felt like she wasn't as active as she used to be. It definitely showed in her work as she wasn't producing as much content as she had when she was in California. Luckily, her youtube channel wasn't suffering too badly, yet. Kali couldn't help but keep that smile on her face as Scott presented himself to be the perfect gentleman by helping her out of her seat and opening doors for her. It felt nice to have someone treat her in this special way, even more so that it was him. He had always been kind and gentle with her but this was a little extra step and it made her feel very special. Kali proceeded to kick off her heels as they entered his apartment. She flopped on his couch as she usually did and watched him go into the kitchen. "Why don't we warm up the chocolate cake and then eat it with ice cream? Best of both worlds." She called out to him. She grinned at him as she tucked her legs underneath her as she sat on the couch. "I think that sounds yummy."

Scott wanted to be just like Kalissa; travelling and living in a big city and exploring various options. He had felt this way ever since he started his affair with his teacher, back in high school. She opened up a whole other world to him that he just wanted to go and explore, but never got the opportunity to do. Now, his friends were helping him, with Korri taking him to California and Kalissa offering him to come with her to Nashville. "Yeah, I know what you mean," Scott started, knowing that Cotton Plant was basically dead and only functioning because of Al Motta coming to town. Grinning as he heard her idea, Scott nodded. He liked that Kalissa could come up with these solutions to their problems, even if they were just small ones, like choosing dessert. "Sounds like a plan," Scott said to himself and prepared the dessert for them. A little while after, he came back into the living room and handed her her plate and sat down next to her. "You know, I think this has been one of my favorite days. And it's all thanks to you."

Kenzi couldn't find the ability to clear her head, even by walking the long way to Cobie's house and taking detours to jump and climb over anything she could come across. It was no secret that she was the most immature person in Mystery Inc, and probably for her age in the whole of Coolsville, and she would have never imagined being in the position she was. She was a lesbian and not only that, a lesbian that - until recently, had been a commitment phobe to anything and everything. Hell, she didn't even stick with any phone network for a long period of time. Today had started off so great, waking up in Cobie's bedroom and soon being greeted by her flawlessly dressed girlfriend when she returned from her job interview and quickly stripping her mostly naked to push into second base while they were taking it slow. She was happier than she ever had been, and she could have never even imagined Cobie texting her to tell her she was pregnant in a million years. Sure, she was with a guy before her so it was a possibility, but she scribbled that out when she bought her a pregnancy test before they got together. Even dating before Cobie would have sent her running for the hills, but dating a pregnant woman? That would have sent her running to the other side of the world. But Cobie was different. She was falling for her so hard and so fast, Kenzi was almost forgetting who she used to be. She was shocked. Maybe even horrified and definitely terrified, but not once did she think about taking a step back. That had to be a good sign, right? Walking up Cobie's driveway, Kenzi let out a breath before she took to running, bounding off the ground to grasp a drainpipe to climb up to Cobie's open window. With a grunt, she pulled herself up, swinging her leg over and falling inside. It must have been some kind of instinct, but she ignored the shattered remains of broken items and homed right in on her girlfriend who was sitting with her head between her legs. It broke her heart and if she didn't know before, she knew then that she had to stay. She couldn't leave, even if she tried to convince herself to. "Baby.."

Cobie felt like she was in some kind of nightmare ever since she saw that damn pregnancy test. It was like her whole world had collapsed around her in a matter of minutes. As soon as she'd left the bathroom, the first thing she did was completely trash her room. Everything that was once on her desk was now on her floor, and there were shards of glass and bits of broken plastic everywhere. She wished she could say that it made her feel better to destroy something, but really, it just made her feel worse. After texting Kenzi, she truly felt like she'd broken inside. Even though her girlfriend had promised that she still wanted her, and that she wouldn't leave, Cobie still wasn't convinced; which was what prompted her to collapse into the middle of her broken surroundings and just cry. That was all she could do. Angry tears, sad tears, frustrated tears, guilty tears... She was feeling everything. When the sound of Kenzi's voice reached her ears, Cobie refused to look up at her, or even look at anything. Her head stayed between her knees, and her eyes stayed shut. "I'm sorry," she croaked out, her voice thick with emotion. Her hand reached out blindly for Kenzi's, seeking some sort of comfort for them both.

Kenzi tilted her head in silent question when Cobie whispered out an apology, her voice hoarse enough to tell her that she had been crying for too long now. Though the younger girl was frozen in her spot inside the trashed room, it just took a movement of her girlfriends and to reanimate her. Almost leaping forward, she fell to her knees and took Cobie’s hand in her left, wrapping her right around her bunched back. “You ain’t gotta be sorry.” She whispered, “I got you,” Her voice was quiet but stronger than she thought she would be able to. If she wasn’t overwhelmed with the need to be there for the woman who had all of her affections, she’d be shaking. Nothing scared her - not not Cobie had helped her with swimming and feelings. But this? This was terrifying. She had no idea what was happening, or what was going to happen. This wasn’t her baby, and she was just 19 and barely graduated high school, but this was Cobie. ​her​ Cobie. They’d figure it out, whatever Cobie wanted to do and apart from comforting her now, Kenzi had no idea where she stood in ​that​ life. Tightening her grip on Cobie, Kenzi moved to stand her up and away from the wreckage, guiding her towards the bed to try and lay her down.

Cobie felt her breathing begin to steady when she felt Kenzi's hand in her own, and her arm around her back. Nothing was more comforting than her touch, and knowing that she wasn't angry enough to not want to be near her. The thought of losing her girlfriend was quite possibly the scariest thing in the world to Cobie. They hadn't been together long, but...it just all felt so right. So right that she never wanted it to end. She couldn't blame Kenzi if she wanted to walk away after tonight, though. If things were the other way around, who knew if she herself could hack it. As she felt herself being lifted from the floor, her legs began to tremble again. This was the most frightening and exhausting thing she'd ever been through, and she couldn't even imagine how Kenzi was feeling. Allowing the girl to lay her down on the bed, she finally opened her eyes to look at her. She probably looked like a mess right now, but she needed to let Kenzi know that she was grateful she was there, and that she was helping. That she cared. "You don't deserve this. You're so sweet, and perfect... You can't possibly want this," she gestured to her stomach, placing her hand on it, her fingers digging into the skin slightly. "You deserve more. Not... some dumb slut who got herself knocked up by a guy who can't even stand her right now!" Cobie's heart began to race again, and she pulled the nearest pillow over her face as she tried to keep her breathing steady. Life was so fucked up.

Kenzi waited for Cobie to lay down on the bed before joining her, being careful to be soft and slow. It was weird to think that, earlier that day, she had Cobie pinned forcefully down on the bed while she tore off her clothes. Now everything was different. Turning to lay on her side to face Cobie, Kenzi watched as her eyes opened, showing her the fear and sadness she could already feel lingering in the air around them. When Cobie started to speak, Kenzi kept her jaw tightly shut. If there was anything she knew, it was that Cobie had such a low self image and all she could do was wish that the woman could see herself though Kenzi’s eyes. Honestly, sometimes she thought she could with the way Kenzi knew she looked at her, but it wasn’t enough. “Cobie,” Kenzi whispered in a gentle attempt to silence her. Her eyes flickered down to her flat stomach and her breath hitched. The thought was one thing, but looking at it was another. Sure, there was nothing visible just yet, but there was something there. A part Cobie something. And if Kenzi knew anything, it was that somethings that involved Cobie were important to her. Lifting her hand from where it lay, Kenzi hesitated for just a second before covering Cobie’s hand with her own, stopping fingers from digging into skin. “I’m… I don’t know what you want from me, but I want you. I want whatever you want.” Kenzi was never good at making decisions, let alone the right ones, but sticking by Cobie was what she needed to do. This thing between them was the realest feeling she had ever had, and she couldn’t let that go, even if everything was far too fast. Kenzi was ride or die and she always had been. “I can’t say that, like… I ain’t scared. And I really dunno what this means..”

Cobie smiled beneath the pillow as felt Kenzi's hand cover her own. It was by no means giving her any sort of relief from the emotional anguish she was feeling, but it felt incredibly good to know that the girl wasn't scared to still be affectionate, and to show that she was there for her no matter what. The guilt ate away at Cobie, though. How could she ask beautiful, pure of heart Kenzi to do this? It was a simple answer. She couldn't. Any doubts in her mind about getting rid of the thing that was growing inside her were wiped away. She had to do it. If she wanted to go back to being happy, and in this perfect little bubble, then the fetus had to go. She couldn't have it, it was impractical and ridiculous to even think about it. If Cam found out, he'd be forcing her into marriage again and trying to live with her. This couldn't happen. None of it could. Removing the pillow from over her face, Cobie drew in a deep breath, trying to steady her voice before looking straight into Kenzi's eyes, her own glassy and red. "I don't want you to be scared, but I'm scared, too. All I know is I don't want this...thing. My life was fine before it, and I was so fucking happy. And now look. It's already torn me apart, and I can't have it. I don't want it." Cobie swallowed thickly as she finished speaking, the lump in her throat painful and her eyes stinging with the prickle of tears. It made her awful to say how much she didn't want this out loud. She felt sick with guilt, her hand now gently gliding over her stomach instead of squeezing, as though she was silently trying to apologize to whatever was in there.

Kenzi was happy to see that Cobie was pulling the pillow free from her beautiful face, but the thought of her being so scared was heart breaking. She knew she had to be strong for Cobie. She was fearless - it was what she did. And now, more than ever, she had to live up to that. If she wanted to freak out or be frightened, she’d do that on her own time. She had to. The whole idea of pregnancy and abortion was something Kenzi never really thought about. She was a lesbian. There was no way she’d ever find herself in that position unless she was planning on it maybe, but she’d have been older. Much older. If it was ever a thing. All she knew was that it was a hard decision to make. It must be. “Okay,” She answered simply. It wasn’t her body at the end of the day. Cobie was her girlfriend but that was the only attachment she had. It wasn’t her kid too. “Whatever you wanna do, I wanna be there for you. You’re my girl,” She added her eyes moving to Cobie’s stomach, where the woman was gently stroking. Cobie was a kind person and wouldn’t hurt anyone or anything if she had her say. All of this was probably tearing her apart. After letting her own fingers linger on Cobie’s stomach for just a second longer, Kenzi slid them to wrap around Cobie’s waist. “You ain’t a bad person, baby. You’re the best person, actually,” She smiled lightly, moving to hover her face in front of Cobie’s, letting their noses brush and despite the fear, the sadness and the worry that was thick around them, Kenzi’s stomach still flipped.. “I heart you,”

Cobie let out a sigh of relief when there was no judgement coming from Kenzi. She was so worried that she'd call her a monster, or yell at her. Maybe even leave. But there was, staying put and telling her that she wanted to be there for her. What did she ever do to deserve someone like this girl? She was so, so incredibly perfect, and loyal. Cobie couldn't believe how lucky she was, and felt like it really was fate for them to end up together the way they did. They just kind of fell into each other, and it was truly the best thing that could ever happen. Her arm wrapped around Kenzi, pulling her closer as the girl smiled at her. Fuck. That smile made her heart do all sorts of crazy jumps, even when she was crying in distress just moments ago. Kenzi made her feel like everything would be okay, and hearing her say she was still a good person despite what she was planning only confirmed just how much she wanted to be with her for the rest of her life. To some people, they may have been moving too fast, but to them? They were moving at the perfect rate. Cobie's stomach flipped as her girlfriend brushed their noses together, her arm tightening it's hold. She almost couldn't believe it when those three words left Kenzi's lips. She had to blink repeatedly, and replay them to herself over and over in her head. She hearted her? Despite the fact she was pregnant, and a complete mess, this girl was laying next to her, holding her and telling her that she hearted her. Cobie didn't deserve this. Not one part of her did. She was awful, and Kenzi was...everything. But there was no way she wasn't going to say it back. Not when those beautiful eyes were focused on her own, and their bodies fit so perfectly together. They were like puzzle pieces. Maybe even magnets, always being pulled together. "You do, huh?" Cobie asked, a genuine happy smile pulling at the corners of her lips. "Well, that's a real coincidence, Mackenzie, 'cause you wanna know something?" she asked, her lips brushing against Kenzi's. "I heart you, too."

Kenzi loved making Cobie smile. For someone who had never had anyone to care for in anything more than a protection level, it had quickly become her favorite thing. When she fell through the window, Kenzi wasn’t sure if they were going to be okay, or if she’d be able to find it inside herself to do anything to help the broken girl on the floor in the way she deserved. But now? Cobie was smiling at her. Really smiling, despite everything that was happening. Despite the fact that her life literally turned itself upside down in a matter of hours and she was inconsolable. If she wasn’t one hundred percent sure that she was lying next to the person she wanted to be with no matter what, she was now. Soul mates were really not something on Kenzi’s radar before. At least not in a romantic sense, but it was just another thing that Cobie made her think twice about. When her eyes fluttered closed as Cobie’s lips pressed against her own, it just reaffirmed everything she felt. When they broke apart, Kenzi’s body pushed out a gasp at the admission back. Her heart was soaring somewhere above the bed, expanding and clenching more rapidly than it ever had before. It just took a small falter before Kenzi surged forward to recapture Cobie’s lips, holding back the tears she could feel welling behind her eyes. Though they were fully clothed and hadn’t yet had their relationship progress past semi-innocent, Kenzi had never felt closer to anyone in her life. They had an intimacy she swore could only be found in fantasy. It was so much for one day. So much to think about and so much she knew she had to do to be the girlfriend Cobie deserved and the one she needed right now, but she’d do it. She knew she would, and pushing forward with a deep kiss was the only way she could think to stain her promises into Cobie’s mind.

Cobie could have sworn that everything she and Kenzi were was a fairytale. No matter the situation they found themselves in, they were always so happy to just be next to each other. Nothing could make either of them smile bigger than when they were in each others company, exchanging sweet words and tender kisses. Even during this horrible time in Cobie's life, where literally everything felt like it was falling apart, Kenzi managed to glue it all back together. All she had to do was say some words, hold her close, and be there. It was such an intense feeling, to care about someone this much. To want to put their happiness above your own, want them to succeed more than you've ever wanted to succeed yourself. Sometimes the feelings Cobie felt for Kenzi made her want to run, but for some reason, she never did. She knew that no matter how far she ran to get away from everything she felt, she'd never be happier than she was whenever she had her girlfriends arms wrapped around her, or had her lips against her own. Nothing could ever tear her away from this bliss. Nothing. Not even an unwanted pregnancy, and the fears that came with it. Kissing the person you felt such strong emotions for could fix even the most painful of heartaches. The hand that was previously on her stomach came up to cup Kenzi's face, her tongue pushing between parted lips as they shared the feelings and promises that they couldn't voice. Everything between them always remained so innocent, even when they were tugging at each others bodies to pull each other closer, and their lips were swelling from the intensity of the kissing. Cobie could feel more tears rolling down her cheeks, but for once that night, they were for a better reason than being sad. She was truly, and completely happy in that moment. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me," she mumbled against soft lips.

Kenzi never felt more contented than she did when Cobie kissed her. From sweet chaste kisses to frantic hands tugging at her hair to pull her impossibly closer, her insides twisted all the same. Kenzi really didn't know how much she, and probably Cobie too, needed the comfort of closeness until their innocent kisses deepened. The way Cobie's hand held her face to keep her close sent a shiver down Kenzi's spine, setting her whole body alight like a firework. Strong arms wrapped around a slender waist to pull Cobie flush against her, a whine of vocalized happiness left Kenzi's throat, muffled against mouthes. "You're just.." Kenzi whispered, fists twisting in Cobie's shirt. "Everything. You're fucking everything." With the gentlest of force, Kenzi pushed Cobie's back onto the mattress, moving to hover over her, reluctant to break their kiss. She could feel the wetness on her face and knew she was crying - but this time, not because she was distraught. But because Kenzi made her feel the way Cobie did to her. She was fragile, flawed and out of this world, and Kenzi would do anything to keep her safe. Physically emotionally. Dragging her lips over heated skin to Cobie's neck, Kenzi let out a slow deliberate breath before she peppered her way back. "I'm right here.. And I ain't going anywhere. Not ever." and she sealed the final words with a heavy, deliberate kiss.

Cobie could have sworn she felt her heart missed several beats when Kenzi spoke. It was hard to believe she was everything to her, but at the same time, kinda easy as she felt exactly the same way. It was funny how she'd managed to live her life for twenty ones years without this girl by her side, but now? She was pretty sure that if you took her away, she'd never know how to function normally again. Kenzi was her light, and without her, Cobie was sure that everyday would be so dark that she'd never want to get out of bed again. Maybe it was dangerous to feel so strongly about someone, but she really didn't care. She knew that Kenzi would never leave. Not unless Cobie gave her a reason to, and she was going to try her damned hardest not to do that. As her girlfriend hovered over her now that she was laying flat, she smiled against her lips, her breath hitching when Kenzi moved to her neck. How could she effect her so much with such simple things? "I know," Cobie whispered, her hands skimming up and down the girls back as she kissed her back. "I just... I never want to hurt you." Her hand tangles in Kenzi's hair, pulling her head back gently so that she could look at her properly. "I really, really, really do heart you very much. In an extremely gal pal way. So if I ever do hurt you, you have permission to shank me like a prison bitch." She tried to keep the straightest of faces before laughing, her arms wrapping around Kenzi's back and pulling her down on top of her to hold her close.

Kenzi couldn’t help the way she tried to follow Cobie’s mouth she pushed her back, eyes flickering open to take in the sight of the beautiful, rosey cheeked girl below her. She found it kind of unbelievable that she even thought, for a second, that she would hurt her. Cobie was sweet, kind and saw so much in Kenzi that no one else ever really had. And here she was, thinking she was going to hurt her. If anything, Kenzi was sure she’d be the one to mess everything up. She ran away, it was what she did. She was reckless and made stupid decisions far more often than she made the right ones. She wasn’t smart and she didn’t really understand people the way she should be able to. Apart from Mystery Inc, she hadn’t done a single good thing in her life of substance. Cobie was relying on her for so much happiness, care and she was pregnant. For now at least. Though it came naturally to be the person she seemed to need, there was always that fear that she would mess it all up. “You ain’t gonna hurt me. I’m real tough.” Kenzi replied with an impish grin. “Besides, I’d rather throw pie for you, babe,” Letting Cobie pull her down, Kenzi sighed as she buried her head into her girlfriend's neck, breathing deep, as though it was the last time she’d be able to do this. It wasn’t, and she knew she would be here, just like this, for a really long time to come, but she’d always make the most of it. If someone made her feel the way Cobie did, it was impossible not to. “I really, really, really do heart you too, bonita. I should get you a heart necklace.”

Cobie let out a soft chuckle at Kenzi's comment. "Your pie? That seems like a waste. Would it be cherry pie?" she asked, her fingertips drawing mindless patterns over Kenzi's skin. She could feel her hot breath against her neck, and it sent shivers down her spine. Her heart almost jumped into her throat when her girlfriend mentioned heart necklaces, knowing how much of a huge deal they were to her. The last time someone had tried to give her one, she ran away and changed her name. Now here she was, being the sweetest little kitten in the whole of universe, offering to get Cobie one. "A heart necklace? Wow, babe. You don't know how much it means to hear you say that," she said with a smile, her lips pressing a sweet kiss to Kenzi's hair. The most meaningful thing Cobie had ever given to someone was a friendship bracelet, but now that didn't seem like enough. What she and Kenzi shared was way beyond friendship, so maybe she could look into relationship bracelets online. They probably didn't differ that much from the friendship ones, but it felt like it was important that she made one anyway. After a moment of silent thinking, Cobie opened her mouth again, a smirk on her lips as she said, "Eres el amor de mi vida."

Kenzi couldn’t help but grin, like she always did when she could make any kind of pun. She was such a simple person. “Duh. I’m a lesbian. Of course it’s cherry, babe,” With Cobie’s sweet lips pressing to her hair, Kenzi’s heart melted in her chest like hot cheese. To anyone else, it wouldn’t make any sense, but Cobie knew all about Kenzi’s heart necklace fiasco. She knew how much that meant to herself, wanting to be that way with someone, and hoped that Cobie understood. Sure, they told each other and they sure as hell acted that way too, but Kenzi hoped it would help show her girlfriend just how special she was. Smiling as Cobie’s sweet words, her heart leapt in her chest and she pressed a lingering kiss to the hot skin of her neck. “Yo también, cariño,” Kenzi replied, her Spanish rolling so effortlessly with the words. It took just a second for her to realize that Cobie had spoken to her in Spanish, but when she did, she sat up to stare at her girlfriend in surprise. “Wait… What?” She questioned, her eyebrows shooting up. “You just… You speak Spanish?” Sure, she knew they were texting before with her writing Spanish to Cobie and Cobie replying in Italian, but that was what made her assume Cobie was using Google Translate like she was. Especially since she didn’t seem to understand Spanish when she spoke it when they were together. “Has Google been like… Teaching you phrases?”

Cobie rolled her eyes at Kenzi's pun, knowing how much the girl loved to make them. They were her signature, along with knock knock jokes. A grin formed on her face when her girlfriend told her that she was also the love of her life. It felt so good knowing that someone felt the same way about her as she did about them. It was a change. A drastic one. Cobie had spent years in love with Ofelia, and not once did she ever really feel any love in return. Sometimes she had to wonder if her best friend knew how to love, even platonically. The woman couldn't help but let out a chuckle as Kenzi shot upright in bed upon realizing the language that Cobie had just spoken. Nodding, she pulled Kenzi closer again. "I do, angelito." When she asked if Google had been teaching her phrase, Cobie shook her head with a smirk, pulling her girl into a kiss. "Nope. I've always been able to speak Spanish. I learned it in high school, and I've spoken it and understood it ever since. I just don't tell anyone, because when you, Danny, and Ofelia speak it, I like to be able to understand it. But I can speak it fluently, mi princesa."

Kenzi didn’t seem to notice that her own jaw had dropped until her tongue started to dry. It had been quite some time since anyone had made her quite that shocked, if ever. “I… Whaaa?” It wasn’t much of a response, but she was a little shocked. Considering Cobie had only told her earlier that day that she was pregnant, she had been SO sure that nothing else could have shocked her. There had been so many times she had spoken Spanish privately, whether it was in the van, that time they were in the pool together or most recently, when they were making out. Kenzi always had a problem keeping her mouth shut or filtering her words between her head and her mouth, and it had become a habit to get around it. But now she knew that every little thing she said, Cobie could very much understand. “Oh my god,” Kenzi groaned, lowering her head back into Cobie’s neck to hide. “I dunno whether to be embarrassed, or heart you even more right now,” She chuckled, nipping playfully at her neck. “Quiero estar contigo para siempre. Tu eres mi vida. Quiero besar todo tu cuerpo.”

Cobie brought her hand up to Kenzi's chin, closing her mouth with a laugh. "Yeah. I know both Italian and Spanish. Also bits and pieces of other languages from travelling with my dad." Honestly, Cobie knew more than she'd ever let on to anyone in the rest of the gang. If they all wanted to believe she was an unintelligent stoner, then that was on them. None of them knew what she could really do, and how much knowledge her brain actually retained. On paper, she was probably smarter than a few of them. But them believing she was useless was easier anyway. It meant she could get away with more stuff, as nobody actually believed she was capable of an intelligent thought a majority of the time. At least Kenzi now knew just how much Cobie knew, though. Her fingers combed through soft red and black locks as Kenzi rested her head in her neck again. "I mean, it just means I've understood all the filthy stuff you've said while we're making out. But I really don't have a problem with that," Cobie teased, a smile pulling at the corners of her lips as she felt teeth nipping at the sensitive skin of her neck. Her heart and stomach began simultaneously flipping as she heard her girlfriend speak Spanish words so fluently. "Yo también, cariño," she replied, lifting Kenzi's head up so that she could press their lips together again. "Desde que te conocí no hago nada más que pensar en ti. Me vuelves loca."

Kenzi couldn’t stop the low groan of embarrassment leave her mouth when Cobie admitted to understanding everything she said to her while she was turned on. They were going slow and expressing though Spanish was her way to get it out of her system and keep it from bubbling around in her head. Now knowing Cobie understood all of it, she was horrified. She couldn’t hide for long, Cobie pulling her back and kissing her, making her stomach flutter and ache in the most delicious way. Hearing Cobie speak one of her tongues, Kenzi couldn’t quite decide if it was comforting, make her joyful or just plainly turned her on, but she settled into a mix of the three. “Eres la mujer de mis sueños.” Kenzi whispered with a small smile before leaning down to bring their mouths together, pushing Cobie down into the mattress. “Quiero estar contigo para siempre.” Throwing her leg over Cobie’s thighs to straddle her, Kenzi was careful not to crush her stomach as she moved to reconnect their lips. No matter if she was pregnant, or even if everything would become complicated in the future or Cobie was distraught, Kenzi wanted to be with her. No matter what. “Te deseo. Siempre”

Cobie couldn't believe all the sweet things she was hearing Kenzi say. It was kind of surreal to have someone saying so much nice stuff to her in such a small amount of time. She'd never really had anyone who cared enough to sit there and tell her that she meant everything to them, or that they weren't going anywhere no matter what. It almost felt like it was a dream, and it'd all suddenly be ripped away from her at any given moment. Everything she loved in life she eventually lost. The only constant in her life was Scooby Doo and her dad. Sometimes Ofelia, but that wasn't very often now that she had Caleb. Hearing all these sweet things was making her heart ache in the most amazing of ways, and she could feel her eyes stinging with the prickle of tears again. Every kiss Kenzi planted on her lips was returned as her hands gripped at the girls hips, pulling her further up. Cobie wasn't scared of her girlfriend crushing her stomach. She knew it'd take more than her slight frame to squish whatever was in there. "Me haces feliz. Me estoy enamorando de ti," she whispered against Kenzi's jaw as she pressed kisses to it, then moved her lips to her ear, her teeth nipping it playfully. "Quiero que sepas que soy toda tuya."

Kenzi couldn’t help but feel cautious over Cobie’s midriff, but delicate hands at her hips pulling her forward was all the permission she needed to know it was okay. She didn’t know much about pregnancy, or had ever really been around anyone who was pregnant as well as not really having a need to know much, so she didn’t really know the protocol. As long as she wasn’t hurting Cobie, then that was okay. Cobie’s sweet, sweet words and the way she was peppering her lips against her jaw, teeth nibble at her sensitive ear, Kenzi was filled with so many emotions, it was almost too much. “Joderme,” her breath hitched, trying her best to still her hips as she let her forehead drop to Cobie’s collar bone. “I’m falling for you so damn hard. Dios mío. Quiero cogerte, but with everything… You’re so sad, and it’s been so much today. And you’re pregnant, I don’t wanna push. I’m feeling so much,” The words left her far quicker than she could stop them, and she took a big breath and moved to sit up, her palms resting gingerly below Cobie’s sternum. Her chest was heaving, frazzled with the mix of all kinds of strong feelings. “Te ves hermosa. Mierda. I wanna do it right.”

Cobie could see how worked up Kenzi was becoming. All the different emotions that they'd both felt during the past hour or so were clearly getting to her. Her palms ran soothingly over the girls outer thighs as she listened to her speak about how she felt. She could understand exactly what she meant. Cobie wanted to be with her in that way desperately, but she also knew that it wouldn't be right. Not after everything that had been revealed. It wouldn't be as special, and the memory would always be somewhat tainted with the reminder of what had happened previously that day. That wasn't how Cobie wanted their first time together to be, and she knew that Kenzi didn't want it to be that way either. "It's okay, baby. I understand. Shh. One hand cupped Kenzi's cheek as she ran her thumb over her cheekbone, and she smiled at her lovingly. "Eres bella. Te adoro con todo mi corazón, mi princesa." Propping herself up on her elbows, she nudged Kenzi's nose with her own. "Te deseo. But I wanna do it right, too. Right here in the middle of my trashed bedroom isn't the right place. It's hard wanting you this much, but knowing that I wanna do things right. It'll be worth it, though. So worth it."

Kenzi would have never thought that the phrase to have your heart melted would have existed as an actual thing until she met Cobie. She always knew she was hot - that much was obvious when they all met in the warehouse, but they always got along. Cobie was smart, and not just book smart, but she thought about the same kind of things that Kenzi did - that everyone else would just brush off as being stupid. They flirted and even talked about hooking up - and it was nice to have someone that didn’t just brush her off as the daredevil who would jump at the chance to do the stupid, dangerous stunts. It honestly wasn’t until she had the idea planted in her head that Cobie was in love with her did she think anything of it. Though it wasn’t true, and that drama soon got crossed off, Kenzi saw things a little differently. Perhaps she always did, but she numbed herself to it because she didn’t understand it, and her freak out about having to move to Chile to get away from her was merely deflection of her own feelings. It was after that when Cobie started melting her heart, and she had never been so grateful for a change in her life. Cobie’s sweet words were all it took to turn her insides soft, in a way they never had. She was playful and a jokester, sure, but Kenzi was guarded. She never had those guards up with Cobie. She wasn’t sure she ever really did. “Tu eres algo más, mi niña hermosa,” Kenzi breathed with a soft smile, letting her arms loop around Cobie’s shoulders, pushing their chests together. Gently pushing Cobie down into the bed, Kenzi moved to tuck into her side, arm thrown over her stomach to hold her close, legs tangling. “I just wanna lay here, n’ hold you and keep you safe while I have a heart attack.”

Cobie blushed as she heard Kenzi's sweet words. Nobody could make her brush this much. Not even Topher, who had given it a go quite a few times. There was just something about her girlfriend that always made her smile so big, and blush so hard. She allowed Kenzi to push her back against the bed, her arms wrapping around the girl when she cuddled up to her side. It always felt so nice to cuddle, even if she hadn't been the hugest fan of it before. Sure, Cobie loved physical contact, but normally it was the sexual kind. Everything for her before Kenzi was based on sex. No matter how much Cam used to tell her they could just be together without sleeping together, she could never truly believe, and had to always try and turn things sexual. But with Kenzi, the thought that she might only want her for her body never even crossed her mind once. She was always just so content with holding Cobie, and also being held. It was really such a foreign feeling, knowing that someone wanted her for more than what she could offer them. "A heart attack?" Cobie asked, kissing Kenzi's forehead. "I hope that you don't end up in the emergency room. There are way too many hot nurses that work there, and we all know how you feel about nurses outfits," she teased, nipping Kenzi's cheek before pressing her lips against it. "Thank you, though. Really. For being here, and for caring. For sticking by me when I don't deserve it. For hearting me when nobody else would even want to know me. You really are perfect. I dunno what I ever did to deserve you, but I know I'm never letting you go now I have you."

Kenzi grinned from ear to ear when Cobie teased her, nose scrunching with the force of it. “I’ll have to make sure to take you with me if I ever go, so they don’t steal me away,” She giggled, though the idea of anyone being able to do so was crazy. She was already very much, totally bewitched by her perfect person. She had never been with someone before, but she was already pretty damn sure she couldn’t be a cheater. When Cobie thanked her, Kenzi’s eyes softened as she snuggled herself closer, brushing her nose lovingly against Cobie’s cheek. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” she whispered, and she could honestly not think of a single thing she would rather be doing. They way they got together wasn’t normal, not in the slightest, but it worked for them. The whole situation they found themselves in that day wasn’t normal, but they were making it work. Neither of them as people were normal, but they worked for each other. She didn’t start falling for Cobie despite her flaws. She was falling for her ​because​ of her flaws. “I was kinda counting on staying with you, babe. ‘Cause, by the way, I’m falling in love with you too.”

Cobie couldn't imagine life getting any better than it was right there in that moment. It was pure bliss. Sure, she was still pregnant, and she had all the fallout of that to worry about. But she knew that with Kenzi at her side, she could get through anything. If this beautiful girl who cared about her so much could turn her from a shaking, crying mess into a smiling idiot, then the possibilities for them were endless. They'd be able to get through anything, and do anything as long as they were together. With that happy thought at the front of Cobie's mind, she cuddled her girlfriend tighter, burying her nose in her hair and kissing the top of her head. "Nobody is ever stealing you. Trust me." When Kenzi told her that she was falling in love with her too, Cobie's whole body froze. It was a surreal moment, and she almost had to pinch herself to believe what she was hearing. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her head so that she could press her lips against Kenzi's, a small smile on them as she kissed her. "Lets just fall in love and see what happens, then," she whispered before kissing the tip of the girls nose. Closing her eyes, she made sure to pull Kenzi as close as possible, not wanting there to be any space between them as they slept.